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WB fastest growing IT hub with more than double the national average

WB fastest growing IT hub with more than double the national average

Published: Monday, February 18, 2008, 19:04 [IST]

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Kolkata, Feb 18 (UNI) With West Bengal aiming to become one of the top three IT states by 2010, contributing 15-20 per cent of the country's total IT revenue, a number of IT majors are today doing significant business here.

Announcing the results of a survey report on the state's IT and ITeS sector here today, Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) president Harsh K.Jha said, ''Between 2002-05, West Bengal has been recognised as the fastest growing IT destination in the country with more than double the national average growth rate. The ICC carried out the survey by gathering feedback from prominent IT companies operating in the state, including TCS, Cognizant, IBM, Wipro, on issues like infrastructure, investment scenario and future business prospects.'' According to the survey, an overwhelming 80.6 per cent of the respondents affirmed that the state was a competitive destination for IT and ITeS companies to set up shop.

''Majority of the companies were thus found to be upbeat about Bengal's prospects as an IT hub owing to the various advantages of the state such as skilled human capital pool, low attrition and government's focus upon IT,'' Mr Jha observed.

He also asserted that an impressive 58.06 per cent of the respondents felt that the government's ambitious plans to emerge as one of the top three IT states by accounting for 15-20 per cent of the country's IT revenue was achievable.

However, he warned that majority of the companies felt that IT and ITeS remained a 'Public Utility Service' only on paper, with a resounding 74.19 per cent opining that the sector in the state could not operate on 24x7x365 model, as it was being frequently disrupted by strikes and bandhs.